The demolition work has begun on a former university campus to pave the way for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The diggers moving onto the the Birmingham City University site at Perry Barr means that the first major construction project for the global sporting spectacle is now under way.

They are clearing the old campus lecture halls and classrooms ready to build the new village for 6,000 athletes and officials. The BCU has now fully relocated to its new site at Eastside in the city centre.

Following the Games these new apartments will then be converted into some 1,400 homes for Brummies to buy or rent.

Birmingham City Council leader Ian Ward at the site where the athletes' village is being built

The works are part of a wider regeneration of Perry Barr which will include improvements to the rail station and shopping areas, a new road layout and a new Sprint rapid bus service along the Walsall Road - all set to be completed by July 2022.

Birmingham City Council leader Ian Ward said: " The demolition has begun in preparation for the construction of the Games village. Everything is going according to plan. We have a shortened time frame which is why we are getting on with the job.

"We are putting the planning application in next month and we expect to see buildings coming out of the ground from January next year."

The last lecturers, staff and students moved out at the end of May to pave the way for demolition.

Birmingham stepped in as a replacement after original host city Durban was removed last year. It means the city has four, instead of the usual seven, to prepare for the games.

But many of Birmingham's venues, such as the NEC's arenas and Villa Park, are already in place. Only the athlete's village and swimming pool at Smethwick are being built from scratch, while Alexander Stadium is being given a £70 million upgrade.

Site formerly used by Birmingham City University in Perry Barr is being levelled and transformed into an athletes' village for the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Read More

Proposed designs for the village were unveiled last week to launch consultation over the plans.

They revealed a large park, further areas of open space and perhaps most striking, the closure of part of the Aldridge Road and Walsall Road gyratory system.

Plans show a range of green roofs on apartment blocks - where low maintenance grass is grown to provide insulation, cutting heating bills, and encourage wild life.

(Image: Birmingham Live)

But there are concerns over the small number of larger three and four bedroom houses being promised. Some argue that more family homes are needed in the area.

The plans will see homes and training facilities for an estimated 6,500 athletes and Games officials to use during the 2022 summer sporting spectacular. Athlete's facilities include a running track around the new park.